Zachary’s Jewelers owner to host gala; Around; The Park

Zachary's Jewelers owner Steve Samaras has been a devoted supporter of the Hospice of the Chesapeake and served as a member of its annual gala committee since the 1990's. The firm participates in Hospice fundraisers each year, donating items of jewelry for auction.

Nonetheless, Samaras was surprised to be chosen master of ceremonies and auctioneer for the organization's 40th Anniversary Gala March 16 at the Live! Hotel at Arundel Mills mall.

He reflected on being selected to emcee.

"It's going to be an exciting evening," he said. "There will be dinner and dancing and I'll be emceeing for the live auction during the latter part of the evening. As this is my first attempt at auctioneering, I'm getting some coaching and I'll definitely be practicing."

With branches in Annapolis and Severna Park, Zachary's Jewelers is recognized for its selection of fine jewelry but also for its continuous involvement in community charities. For the past nine years, the Severna Park branch has co-hosted the Greater Severna Park and Arnold Chamber's annual Taste & Sip events with Homestead Gardens.

Zachary's lesser known but steady support for the Hospice of the Chesapeake has a personal dimension.

Samaras noted that, since its beginnings 40 years ago, the organization has touched countless lives, his family's included, as his mother received hospice care at the end of her life.

Co-founder and board member emeritus Martha O'Herlihy marvels that the organization that began with four friends sitting around the Severna Park kitchen table of Frances Grauch in 1979 achieved such astonishing success.

"Four of us went to hear author Elizabeth Kubler Ross (a pioneer in the hospice care movement) speak at John Hopkins and we were truly inspired," she said.

O'Herlihy and Grauch, who were registered nurses, joined Mary Ellen Blondell, Norman Lambert, and Dr. James Benjamin in a plan to educate themselves about the movement over a period of nine months and establish a hospice here. It would be patterned after the nation's first hospice in Connecticut.

"In September of 1979, we incorporated as an organization prior to accepting our first patient," O'Herlihy said. "By December, we had four patients."

Initially based at Grauch's home, the five were concerned they wouldn't attract any volunteers or support since no one knew what hospice care was. Thus, they dedicated themselves to educating people with the backing of Anne Arundel Community College. The results were encouraging.

"We were thankful for all the people who lent their financial support or volunteered with us... and we still are," O'Herlihy said.

Today, the Hospice of the Chesapeake's John and Cathy Belcher Campus in Pasadena, with its Chesapeake Life Center headquarters building and 14-bed Inpatient Care Center, provides hospice and palliative care for 500 or more seriously ill patients and serves thousands through its grief and loss counseling and support programs.

The community is invited to join the celebration at the Hospice's historic 40th Anniversary Gala. The elegant evening of dinner and dancing to the Radio City Band will be held, for the first time, in the ballroom of the Live! Hotel 5:30-11 p.m. March 16.

Samaras notes there will be a raffle and silent auction plus the live auction he'll be emceeing with exciting trips and luxury items to bid on.

"After years of donating jewels for the auction that were typically worth between $5,000 and $10,000, Zachary's morphed into something different," he said. "This time, instead of relying on bids that can fluctuate, our donation will be a raffle with tickets going for $100 apiece. In this way, if we sell 150 raffle tickets, the organization will be guaranteed $15,000. The winner will be able to choose one of four different items of jewelry - a gentleman's watch, a pair of diamond earrings, or a diamond bracelet or necklace."

The annual gala remains the nonprofit's largest fundraiser with sponsorships from major companies within the Baltimore-Washington corridor as well as local businesses like Moran Insurance of Severna Park, Zachary's Jewelers, Reliable Contracting Inc. in Millersville, and Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis.

Sponsorships are available through Director of Advancement Chris Wilson at 443-837-1530.

To purchase tickets for the gala, visit www.hospicechexapeake.org/1029-gala.

Woods Memorial's

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church is hosting a St. Patrick's Day dinner March 15 at 6 p.m. The community is invited. Tickets will be available beginning Feb. 25 for the traditional dinner of corn beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and rolls with appetizers and desserts.

The dinner in the church's Fellowship Hall also features entertainment by the Cypress Creek Ceili Band. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and can be purchased by calling the church office at 410-647-6550 or at the door.

Email Severna Park news to Sharon Lee Tegler at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @SharonLeeSays.

Credit: Sharon Lee Tegler - Email Severna Park news to Sharon Lee Tegler at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @SharonLeeSays.

Caption: Zachary's Jewelers owner Steve Samaras behind the counter at his Severna Park location. He will be the master of ceremonies at the Hospice of the Chesapeake's 40th Anniversary Gala March 16.

Sharon Lee Tegler / Correspondent